Chasing Vermeer: Chapters 5–11

by Blue Balliett
In this mystery, middle-schoolers Calder and Petra get caught up in the search for a stolen painting by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–11, Chapters 12–16, Chapters 17–20, Chapters 21–24
15 words 415 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. disoriented
    having lost your bearings
    People disappeared and then were found far away, disoriented and confused.
  2. profound
    of the greatest intensity; complete
    IT IS THE PROFOUND CONVICTION OF MOST OF US THAT THERE NEVER HAS BEEN A SHOWER OF LIVING THINGS.
  3. conviction
    an unshakable belief in something without need for proof
    IT IS THE PROFOUND CONVICTION OF MOST OF US THAT THERE NEVER HAS BEEN A SHOWER OF LIVING THINGS.
  4. senility
    mental infirmity as a consequence of old age
    WE HAVE CONCLUSIONS, WHICH ARE THE PRODUCTS OF SENILITY OR INCOMPETENCE OR CREDULITY, AND THEN ARGUE FROM THEM TO PREMISES.
  5. incompetence
    lack of physical or intellectual ability or qualifications
    WE HAVE CONCLUSIONS, WHICH ARE THE PRODUCTS OF SENILITY OR INCOMPETENCE OR CREDULITY, AND THEN ARGUE FROM THEM TO PREMISES.
  6. credulity
    tendency to believe readily
    WE HAVE CONCLUSIONS, WHICH ARE THE PRODUCTS OF SENILITY OR INCOMPETENCE OR CREDULITY, AND THEN ARGUE FROM THEM TO PREMISES.
  7. exhilarating
    thrilling or invigorating
    It was a shocking feeling — exhilarating, shivery, true. And somehow inevitable, as if things had always been this way.
  8. inevitable
    incapable of being avoided or prevented
    It was a shocking feeling—exhilarating, shivery, true. And somehow inevitable, as if things had always been this way.
  9. inexplicable
    incapable of being explained or accounted for
    “It’s just that I was reading about inexplicable loud noises and things falling from the sky, then there was this whop!, and then a flying —” She was gasping.
  10. curator
    the custodian of a collection, as a museum or library
    A LADY WRITING IS, ACCORDING TO CURATORS AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY, OF “ABSOLUTELY INCALCULABLE WORTH.”
  11. sinister
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    What had seemed intriguing just a couple of days ago suddenly felt sinister to both Calder and Petra: Petra’s dream painting had been stolen, Petra’s dad was acting weird, Calder was worried about Tommy, and now Ms. Hussey was hurt.
  12. ingenious
    showing inventiveness and skill
    She told them a number of other stories about art thefts, some of the plottings ingenious and some a mess.
  13. obscurity
    an unimportant and not well known standing
    Centuries went by, and Vermeer fell into obscurity.
  14. uproar
    a state of commotion and noise and confusion
    The uproar was instantaneous and dramatic.
  15. instantaneous
    occurring with no delay
    The uproar was instantaneous and dramatic.
Created on Wed Aug 22 20:33:06 EDT 2018 (updated Tue Jul 29 13:29:03 EDT 2025)

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